


Interlude

by china_shop



Category: White Collar
Genre: Episode Related, Fluff, Gen, Missing Scene, Mostly Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-22
Updated: 2016-07-22
Packaged: 2018-07-25 23:53:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 759
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7552048
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/china_shop/pseuds/china_shop
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A few hours into the cleaning of the Burkes’ place, Clinton returned from a quick bathroom break to find Elizabeth and the little guy had moved on to the living room and were deep in an earnest discussion. </p><p>(Missing scene from 1.09.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Interlude

**Author's Note:**

> For wc_rewatch. Much thanks to mergatrude for beta, and Sherylyn for Ameripicking. <3

A few hours into the cleaning of the Burkes’ place, Clinton returned from a quick bathroom break to find Elizabeth and the little guy had moved on to the living room and were deep in an earnest discussion.

Elizabeth was perched on the arm of a chair, apparently having abandoned her stated plan to get some work done. “Hmm, kill, kiss, marry? Let’s see,” she said. “I’d kill the Dom Perignon, I think—it’s overrated.”

“Philistine,” muttered the little guy, without heat and without looking up from the mantelpiece, which he was checking with a smaller device than the one he’d been using earlier. Clinton thought about asking why he’d switched but decided to keep his own ignorance of the matter to himself.

Elizabeth grinned at the epithet and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “Marry the Cristal, and kiss the Krug.”

The little guy looked around. “Bold choices, Mrs. Suit.”

“I could drink Cristal forever.” She grinned. “And please, call me El.”

“Mozzie, but you can call me Moz.”

Clinton cleared his throat, and they both looked around. 

“Typical,” said Mozzie, unabashed. “Big Brother stealthily listens in on our private conversations. Of course. Need I remind you that everything said here is strictly off the record!”

Given he’d already announced variations on that sentiment three or four times, the obvious answer was no, but Clinton refrained from saying so.

“Come on, Moz, you knew he was here. And you can trust him—Jones is on our side.” Elizabeth sent Clinton a warm smile while Mozzie spluttered. 

“Regardless of your unutterably simplistic worldview,” Mozzie finally managed, “the suggestion that there are only two sides and I’m on either of them is dangerously blinkered thinking.”

“My apologies,” said Elizabeth. “I only assumed, since you’re both here to help…” 

“I’m here because Neal asked me.” Mozzie scowled and bent his head to his task, moving on to the back of the television. “I’m not a charity service for beleaguered federal agents.”

“Of course not.” Elizabeth clearly decided to drop the subject. “So… about Neal. Have you known him long? What do you think about him working with Peter? Should I be worried about them?”

“Depends.” Mozzie was behind the television now, and his voice was rather muffled. “How’s your marriage? Is the Suit happy? Do you regularly indulge in the conjugal arts?”

Elizabeth’s jaw dropped. “Do we _what_?” 

Clinton, who was pretty sure what Mozzie was implying, hid a smirk. Caffrey’s obvious crush on Peter was already the subject of gossipy speculation around the office, but the suggestion that Peter might reciprocate was—well, it was a suggestion that only the little guy would think to make. Still, it reminded Clinton how much he missed Diana and her shrewd assessment of office dynamics.

Elizabeth had clearly caught on, but she didn’t seem shocked and approached the topic head-on. “I wasn’t implying they might have an affair, Moz! I trust Peter. I was asking about their safety. They’re going up against OPR and a federal judge—it’s just, it’s a lot.”

Given the context, it was interesting she was asking Mozzie rather than Clinton himself—perhaps she realized Clinton was constrained in what he could say by his loyalty to Peter; he couldn’t run the risk of scaremongering, whereas Mozzie clearly had no such compunctions. Rather than intervening or volunteering an opinion, Clinton waited to see what the little guy would say.

“Oh, as to that—” Mozzie was out of sight, but he sounded as if he were dismissing her concerns with a shrug. “—I see no cause for immediate alarm. I’m monitoring the situation. On both fronts, actually.”

“What do you mean, monitoring?” interjected Clinton, keeping his tone casual. “Have you bugged them?”

Mozzie rolled his eyes. “Excuse me, but unlike your monolithic government surveillance program of anti-democratic doom, I happen to respect the right to privacy. It’s a matter of principle.”

“Of course,” said Elizabeth. “I’m sure you just meant that Neal confides in you.” She shot Clinton a sly, humorous look, then turned back to Mozzie. “I’m going to put some coffee on.”

Mozzie shuffled out from behind the television and sat back on his heels. “I prefer tea.”

“Earl Grey, Oolong or Darjeeling?” said Elizabeth. “Kill, kiss, marry.”

His eyes lit up. “I’ll happily send the Earl Grey over a cliff, but as for the other two… it’s a difficult choice, El. This will require serious consideration.”

“ _While_ you sweep the house for bugs,” said Clinton.

Mozzie rolled his eyes but got back to work.

 

END


End file.
